【推荐2】John Rosher can treat a jellyfish sting and ice skate backwards.He is good at playing chess and can confidently talk about nuclear science.The 17-year-old from Kansas,US has gained knowledge about many subjects,all because of the Boy Scouts(童子军）.

The Boy Scouts is a kind of club that teenagers can join to learn skills. Every time members master a new skill, they earn a merit badge(勋章）. Rosher has earned all 137 available badges.In the 105-year history of the Boy Scouts of America,fewer than 300 scouts have achieved that.

When Rosher joined the Boy Scouts at 10,his only goal was to earn more merit badges than his dad,who had earned 54 during his time in the Scouts.After beating his dad's record,Rosher realized he wanted to keep going.He enjoyed the challenge.

The badges are earned for subjects from safety to career skills.Rosher earned some of the badges during his family vacations.He went water rafting in Colorado.He practiced fishing in the Amazon jungle with alligators(鳄鱼）all around him.Not all the badges needed a vacation.For example,for his model design badge,he spent hours building a 3-D model of a spaceship at home.

Earning so many badges wasn't easy,especially since he's also dealing with band, soccer,and volunteer work.But Rosher is thankful for all his experiences."They have shaped me and taught me to be more adventurous,"he said."Everything I learned in Boy Scouts will stay with me forever."

1. What do we know about Rosher?

A．He has earned 54 badges so far.

B．He has achieved a lot in nuclear science.

C．He has been a Scout member for 10 years.

D．He has learned many skills after joining the Boy Scouts.

2. Rosher keeps earning more badges because he___

A．enjoys collecting badges.

B．likes meeting more challenges.

C．wants to prove himself to his friends.

D．hopes to win more badges than his father.

3. What does Rosher think of his experiences in the Scouts?

A．Common.

B．Painful.

C．Rewarding.

D．Boring.

【推荐3】My parents influenced us with the concepts of family, faith and patriotism when l was young.Even though we struggled to make ends meet, they stressed how fortunate we were to - live in a great country with limitless opportunities

       I got my first real job when I was ten. My dad, Benjamin, injured his back working in a cardboard - box factory and was retrained as a hairstylist. He rented space in a little mall and gave his shop the fancy name of Mr. Ben's Coiffure.
       The owner of the shopping center gave Dad a discount on his rent for cleaning the parking lot three nights a week, which meant getting up at 3 a.m. To pick up trash, Dad used a little machine that looked like a lawn mower．Mom and I emptied garbage cans and picked up litter by hand. It took two to three hours to clean the lot. I'd s1eep in the car on-the way home. I did this for two years, but the lessons I learned have lasted a lifetime, I acquired' discipline and a strong work morality, and learned at an early age the importance of balancing life's competing interests—in my case, school, homework and a job.This really’ helped during my senior year of high school, when l worked 40 hours a week flipping hamburgers, at a fast – food joint while taking a full load of college - prep courses.The hard work paid off . I attended the U.S. Military Academy and went on to receive graduate degree  in law and business from Harvard. Later, I joined a big Los Agnates law firm and was elected to the California state assembly.

In these jobs and in everything else I’ve done, I have never forgotten those nights in the parking lot. The experience taught me that there is dignity in all work and that if people are working to provide for themselves and their families ,that is something we should honor.

1. In order to get a discount on rent,          

A．his father had to work as a hairstylist

B．his father had to work in a cardboard - box factory

C．they had to clean the-parking lot three nights a week

D．his father had to pick up litter by hand three hours a day

2. Which of the following is NOT true of the author?

A．He got the graduate degrees from Harvard.

B．He took a college - prep courses at high school.

C．He took a part - time job during his senior year.

D．He regretted having worked in the parking lot.

3. What does the underlined sentence "The hard work paid off" mean?

A．The author got a high pay by working hard.	B．The author compounded of the hard work.
C．The effort which he made had no affection.	D．The hard work was worthwhile for the author.

4. We can learn from the text that  

A．it is unimaginable for a child to help his family

B．it is honored to work for one's family as a member

C．it is unnecessary to keep work rules

D．the harder the work is, the more interest one shows

【推荐1】“Let’s go see Santa!” Samantha said, pointing．

I shrugged. I found out long ago that the real Santa doesn’t hang out in malls. He’s always too busy checking his list for kids twice and supervising the elves (小精灵)．

Last year, “Santa” had a tattoo on his arm. I pretended I didn’t notice and named all the toys I ever wanted, until he was about to kick me out. I like playing around with fake Santas．

We joined the line and after what seemed like ages, it was our turn. Samantha’s eyes were glowing with excitement as she listed her wishes. She went back to Mom and Dad with a delighted smile and some candies．

I sat on Santa’s lap and moved from side to side to get comfortable. He made a face. “Have you been good this year? Ho! Ho!”

“Oh, yes! I played nicely with my sister, obeyed my parents, and teachers are fond of me.”

A suspicious smile appeared on his jolly face. “What would you like for Christmas, my boy?” “Santa, I want a new teacher for Christmas.”

He got a little surprised and looked at me. “Don’t you want any new games, or a baseball mitt (手套)?”

“No. I want a new teacher who doesn’t give too much homework. I don’t have time to play anyway, with all those assignments I’m getting.”

It was worth waiting in line just to see the look on his face. He gave me a coloring book and a Christmas sticker. Just before I left, he pulled me closer and said in a low tone, “I’ll make sure Miss Coleman makes your wish come true.”

How did he ... that voice ... “Mr. Principal?”

I guess sometimes wishes do come true. I had a lighter workload until June!

1. Why did the author name all the toys?

A．To get the Christmas gifts．	B．To look for the real Santa．
C．To make a fool of “Santa”．	D．To surprise the fake Santa．

2. The underlined word “assignments” in the text means “ ____ ”．

A．new teachers	B．homework
C．new games	D．toys

3. Who is Miss Coleman?

A．The author’s teacher．	B．The author’s sister．
C．The fake Santa．	D．The principal of the author’s school．

【推荐2】When Amanda Lemay heard the story about a baker and his wife who were traveling around the United States in a van, learning from expert bakers, she wanted to do something similar. So she got rid of most of her possessions and made an old ambulance with her dad into a lovely home on wheels.

Lemay’s ambulance is actually a former emergency response vehicle for the US Navy, built on a 2006 Ford E350 Cutaway. Renovations were done by her and her dad. Now the dark blue vehicle has a lot of built-in cabinets on all sides, offering a lot of storage space, while the rooftop has 400-watts of solar power panels and a small roof deck where Lemay practices yoga. The inside is tastefully done to suit Lemay’s work and hobbies.

As Lemay mentions, not only did her father help, but so did the rest of her family. Lemay’s mother helped sew the decorations on the removable cushions, and her sister crafted the leather pulls. It was truly a family affair.

Her current nomadic lifestyle fits well with her work doing audiobooks, voiceovers, and publishing work. In the end, this unexpected path has Lemay rethinking what it means to be truly sustainable, now that van life has gotten her to become minutely aware of the water, electricity, and other daily resources that she uses. But all these day-to-day concerns are balanced with a greater sense of freedom.

“It’s almost mind-blowing, it feels like a completely different life because I’m doing the work online, and I can do things on my own schedule. Pretty much most of my days are mine — so by living in the van, I can be where I want to be, and do the things I want to do, and spend time outside.”

1. Why is the story of a baker and his wife mentioned in paragraph 1?

A．It shows a creative way of learning.	B．It was spoken highly by expert bakers.
C．It’s an example of strong determination.	D．It’s where Amanda Lemay got her inspiration.

2. Why was the renovation a family affair?

A．All family members contributed to it.	B．Its cost was shared by family members.
C．It was made to suit the life of the family.	D．The whole family gathered to celebrate it.

3. What has Lemay learned from her nomadic lifestyle?

A．To value every minute of her life.	B．To make the best of what she has.
C．To keep a balance between work and life.	D．To be aware of the real meaning of family.

4. What does Lemay like about living in a van?

A．Reflecting on life.	B．Forgetting all about work.
C．Working on her own schedule.	D．Being free from day-to-day concerns.